About Leah
Leah Brooks is a licensed clinical social worker in California who brings 11 years of experience to her practice. She focuses on stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and abuse, and LGBTQ concerns. Leah aims to make the first step toward change feel manageable and supported.
She uses practical tools to help people cope day to day. Sessions focus on clear goals, small changes, and building confidence. Leah listens for what matters most to each person and then works with them to try different ways forward.
Background and approach
Her approach blends cognitive behavioral ideas with mindfulness and acceptance strategies. That means clients learn to notice difficult thoughts, try new actions, and practice skills that reduce overwhelm. For people who carry trauma, she can include methods that help process distressing memories more safely.
Leah pays attention to how identity and relationships shape problems. She addresses body image, sexuality, kink and alternative sex culture, and non-monogamous dynamics in an open, nonjudgmental way. She also supports people facing loneliness, shame, or life purpose questions.
Work may include short-term coping skills or a longer path for deeper change. Leah invites honest conversation about what is working and what is not. She helps people set realistic steps and notice progress along the way.
Therapeutic approaches and online care
Leah commonly uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. ACT focuses on clarifying values and committing to meaningful actions even when difficult thoughts appear. CBT helps identify unhelpful thinking patterns and replace them with more workable habits to reduce anxiety and depression.She also incorporates EMDR techniques for trauma when appropriate. EMDR involves guided attention and memory processing to reduce the intensity of traumatic memories and the strong emotions they trigger. This can be helpful for post-traumatic stress and long-standing trauma symptoms.
Finding the right approach is a collaborative process. Leah will discuss options, explain what each method involves, and help decide which fits the client’s goals and comfort level. Adjustments are made along the way so the work stays practical and meaningful.
Online formats include video calls, phone sessions, live chat, and text-based messaging to increase flexibility. Video allows face-to-face conversation and visual cues. Phone sessions can be simpler when bandwidth is limited. Live chat and text messaging offer brief check-ins or ongoing support between sessions. These options make it easier to fit therapy around work, caregiving, or other commitments while still working with a licensed professional.
Frequently asked questions
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Specialties and expertise
Top specialties
Also works with
- BDSM, kink, and alternative sex culture
- Body image
- Communication problems
- Depression
- First responder issues
- Forgiveness
- Guilt and shame
- Isolation / loneliness
- Life purpose
- Polyamory / non-monogamous relationships
- Post-traumatic stress
- Self esteem
- Self-love
- Sexuality
- Smoking / vaping cessation
- Social anxiety and phobia
- Veteran and Armed Forces Issues
- Women's issues
- Workplace issues
Therapeutic approaches
- Experience
- 11 years
- Licensed
- California
- Languages
- English